Improvement in portable shelves



G. A. COLBY.

PORTABLE SHELF.

No. 185,820. Patented Jan. 2, 1877.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIOE.

GEORGE A. COLBY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE SHELVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 185,820, dated January 2, 1877; application filed May 12, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE A. OoLBY, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Portable Shelves, of which the following is a specification:

The first part of my invention relates to the mode of uniting a number of shelves in the form of a set. The object of this part of my invention is to make the several shelves adjustable, and also firm in position, and the set made up of the same portable and in a compact shape.

The second part of my invention relates to a set of pigeon-holes devised to serve in connection with the aforesaid set of shelves.

The shelves are strung upon a pair of bowed iron rods. (Shown in Figure l, A.) The iron is flattened at the bow to give the hows the needi'ul rigidity. The rod is notched from the ends upward to the beginning of the bow, at intervals of about one-quarter of an inch, Fig. 1, B.

The shelves are kept fast in place by the use of the key, Fig. 1, D. This key is made of a thin strip of sheet iron or steel. The shorter projection is a tooth, the longer projection is a bracket. The key is taken in the fingers, and the flat thin tooth is urged into one of the notches of the upholding rods while the shelf is drawn down upon it. The bottom of the shelf rests upon the bracket of the key.

Sets of shelves for books must needs have narrow bows to keep small volumes from falling. Then the twain of outer holes are carried in toward the middle of the shelf, from three to four times as far as the holes bored in the side near the wall, for the increase of space herein would tend to cause the set of shelves to stand out of a perpendicular line when hung against the wall.

The set of pigeon-holes h is made without top or bottom, as shown in Fig. 2, the shelves over and under forming these parts. The legs of the bowed rods run through the staples g g g g, and h h are staying-pins, which pierce the shelves.

The bowed rods may be shaped as shown by Fig. 3, and more than two rods may be 'used for one set of shelves.

Holes may be drilled in the rods, and the shelves upheld by pins projecting from these holes.

I disclaim all sets of hanging shelves strung upon knotted cords, as an old and familiar device, removed from my invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. A number of shelves joined in a set by two or more rods of wood or iron, bowed and notched, and acting in combination with the toothed and bracketed key, substantially as described.

2. The set of pigeon-holes h, with the staples g, in combination with the shelves and rods A, substantially as described.

GEORGE ALVAN COLBY.

Witnesses:

PETER E. GoLLINs, ADAM MASON. 

